Roads to walk upon!
by Major-Ryan
Summary: Who is this young man? How does his long journey lead to Sam and Jack?
1. One small step

"_**Roads to walk upon"**_

_By Major_Ryan_

**Authors notes: **I'm not going to tell you who he is till the end, or near the end. So sorry LOL! Oh and Hammond didn't die, cause he is much loved.

**Summary: **Who is this young man? How does his long journey lead to Sam and Jack?

**Rating: **Pg-13 so far

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

A young man at the very start of his life and career, stood in front of the steel fire doors that led to the gymnasium. He paused for a moment desperately seeking some information on what would be happening to him for the next couple of years. He rubbed his hands through his hair as he slowly let out a breath. His lips barely open as he shivered in anticipation.

Cadet Jonathan was a smart boy who liked to think of himself as brave, intellectual and honourable, but this very moment had him questioning if he made the right choice. He was a an all out average boy in looks with his dark chocolate hair that always seemed to mess up, no matter how much he tried to make it presentable. His frame was not as tall as most military hopefuls, but what he lacked in hight he made up for in strength. His mother would often comment on his inquisitive brow, how it would raise in the air as he made some obscure comment when dealing in social life.

Truthfully he was a clown, jester if you will and he would adamantly deny his humour was anything but mere coincidence. If you met him in his early childhood you would think him destined to become a marketing mogul or at the very least a used car sales man. Such words uttered from his father would infuriate him to the point of anger, but he was not one to be judged upon. In his eyes you choose your own fate and he was not going to choose either one of those paths. Thinking back little did he know what would lead him to this very door. An obstacle he would gladly not have to conquer, after all it he was only doing this as part of the training.

The turning point in his life was when he was nine. His father had been asked to run a virtual flight simulator at the annual USAF air show, for civilians to experience what it was like to fly a fighter jet. He was amazed at the way his father turned into a officer the minute he was in the company of fellow colleges. Not the man he knew at home who would come home after long classified missions and stir the house up with his spontaneous behaviour. So formal and blunt. John had already been in the simulator countless times and it didn't interest him anymore. He remembered walking over to a field tent display where a cadet was showing a group of people what a wormhole was. What was factual and what was theoretical.

He didn't understand it but, it looked cool. Then a Brigadier General came by and started to talk to the young man presenting the display. His prominent girth jiggling when he chuckled at the cadets jokes. General Hammond a stout portly fellow had little hair on his crown, but had a presence about him. Not one to miss out on the fun he decided to question the mans knowledge, much to the surprise of the crowd.

"What's makes you think solid matter can be passed through a wormhole?" He asked.

The young man looked at the crowd and then back to the General. Stumped he just straightened his shirt and replied.

"Well I have yet to create an artificial wormhole that lasts longer then a few micro seconds, but I believe solid matter could pass through whole". He said while staring at his moch wormhole water display.

Hammond chuckled and turned to face young Jonathan.

"Do you think he is right?" John's eyes went wide when all of a sudden he was thrown into the conversation.

He looked at the water display and thought about how small it was and how could anything get through there with out being really small. He looked back up to the General and nervously said.

"Well I know when mum makes icing she likes to use castor sugar so when it comes out the end its smooth and doesn't go all lumpy. Maybe them wormhole thingy's need a solid thing to be really small like castor sugar, so when it comes out it won't be all lumpy and gross".

A sound of laughs and applause erupted from the tent as young John turned a bright shade of red. General Hammond was laughing whole heartedly as he was amused by the young boys response. After the cadet resumed his teaching John slowly exited the tent with all intention of going back to his father. He was making his way up an embankment when his steps were halted by a hand grasping his arm. He turned around to see that same girth and realised it was the General who had stopped him. Looking up he saw him bend down to whisper in his ear.

"Your right" he said and John was startled by his admission.

"I' am" he asked a bright smile beaming across his face.

Hammond gave him a wink and stood up straight gently rocking from the heel of his feet, back and forth.

"Young man maybe one day we might test this theory out together. If you keep studying hard and keep listening to your teachers at school, you never know".

Then with a turn he walked away and only Jonathan remained staring at his departing figure. That was the very moment he decided he was going to follow the military career of his father, but unlike him he would not be a gun tooting, smart mouthed commando.

Shaken out of his reserves he slowly opens the heavy doors and walks through into the large open court.

"Cadets all line up and stand at attention!"

TBC


	2. Wrong Foot Forward

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Heart racing a mile a minute, hands sweaty and cold he tried to run to the centre line of the court. Tripping over his own feet he slammed to the ground in a large thud. The force of hitting the ground took the very breath from his chest. Jonathan looked up to see a cadet running to him. His eyes only glancing for a few mere seconds before a loud crisp voice shook him to the core.

"Get up cadet now, before I have to drag you to the line!" This man was not humorous and was staring straight at him, his eyes twitching in a nervous convulsion.

Jonathan's eyes flashed back to the young girl who was running towards his fallen form. She was much younger then him, after all he was a very late starter at the age of twenty five.

She was panting and gasping for air as her tall fragile frame lent over and grabbed him by the arm and in one swift move she hauled him to his feet. Shaken he was on adrenalin now as he followed her to the other cadets. He took a quick glance at her before standing at attention, quickly taking in some features as to remember to thank her later for his somewhat embarrassing rescue.

"My name is Major Henner, You will address me as Major Henner"

The cadets all flinched upon his baritone voice and all replied with a Yes Sir.

"Listen up, Some of you here will graduate and go onto become the finest members of the USAF, the others will be back in civilian life, doing civilian things with your white picket fences and fluffy dogs." His mention of civilian life was regurgitated from his mouth in a distasteful drone.

He paced back and forth up the row with his hands fastened behind his back. He had a slight hunch of his back and the snapping sound of his boots echoed in the background. He stopped every now and then to pick apart a cadet or just to look them up and down.

"You have pasted the entry requirements, But some of you only just by the skin of your teeth"

The Major reached the young girl standing beside Jonathan, the very girl who had helped him when he fell. He stopped and stared down at her shoes. Jonathan could hear his breathing coming in slow deep tones. He suddenly thought maybe he was going to reprimand her for helping him, or maybe he was just trying to intimidate her. He let out a barely audible groan before Major Henner's eyes darted across to him.

He immediately started thinking he made a mistake, that he couldn't do this. Did his father misrepresent the military, surely it wasn't going to be like this forever. It was only the first day and already he was in a black hole. He silently cursed his father for not telling him before he left what the real military was like. His thoughts then drifted to the moment his safe happy home turned to chaos.

He was nearly ten, in fact his birthday was in two days. He came home from school and his mother was sitting on the porch crying. He ran up to her tossing his school bag on to the steps as he reached her side.

"What's wrong mom?" He asked, gently placing a hand on her arm.

She sniffed and cried some more, her tears flowing down her red swollen cheeks.

"He left" was all she said.

A cold rush of deep pain pitted in his stomach. He knew who she was speaking of. It was his father. The dirty no good, rat bastard. He left us. Hugging his mom tightly he vowed never to leave her, never would he give up when things got too tuff or seemed impossible. He would not be his father and if he ever married he would never leave his family, even for death.

Later as he grew up he was informed of the reason his father left. It was vague and all that he can recall is his mother telling him that he said it was too dangerous, the men would use Jonathan against him, that he loved them both. Sure he wrote a letter now and then, but it was never signed or named, just a blank emptiness on the bottom of the page. Who were the men, Jonathan never knew. Maybe one day he would find out.

Ah dad as I always known. Your priorities are bang on! He loved sarcasm.

Jonathan snuffed as he also remembered countless times he needed his father, like school. School was a challenge for a intelligent child like him. Where were you when I got bullied, or better yet when the girls started to occupy my every thought?.

His attention was suddenly pulled back to the Major as he saw him staring at the young girl again. His face was inches away from hers when he started screaming and spitting in her face.

"Missy what are you plotting at?" He shouted.

She flinched and Jonathan could see out of the corner of his eyes, her slowly starting to tear up. She was slightly shaking, but never stopped staring at the man. Her chin jutted out as she took a gulp. Her eyes throwing back a burning stare as she slightly puffed out her chest.

"What do you mean sir?" She snapped back.

The Major pressed his nose to her nose, if he was any more irate you would think steam would sprout from his ears. John thought. Still looking at her through the corner of his eyes he prayed she would hold out, don't give in. Its what he wants.

"Why did you help this cadet?, You thought he was cute and wanted to have a little flirt before training?" He was seething right in her face and waiting for her to break.

She pushed her nose further into the Majors face as she shouted back at him.

"No sir!"

"Then why cadet?" Still fuming still trying to get her to cry.

She took in a deep breath and paused. She wanted to let this over baring Major know that she wasn't just another green cadet. She was determined, strong and maybe stubborn.

"Never leave a man behind sir" Was all she said.

The other cadets all shifted their heads to look at her then. They weren't expecting her to say that and neither was Jonathan. His attention broke and he just stared at her. There was only one word he could think of that summed up the impression she gave him.

Wow.

TBC


	3. Caution Slippery when wet

A strong pungent smell wafted throughout the kitchen of the house, its odour filling the adjacent lounge room as the current occupant resided on the sofa. Retired Colonel O'Neill, a woman yes and a very slim elderly, but still very attractive woman was reading her novel when her senses picked up on the rather offending smell.

She slammed her book shut and struggled to get of the comfy resting place in search of her husband of nineteen years.

"Jack, what on earth are you cooking?" She yelled as she made her way up the steps and into the dining room.

Her nerves were high strung as the day was fought with fear and tension. Samantha O'Neill was not in the mood for her husband's antics today and although normally she wouldn't mind him cooking for them she could tell by all the noise coming from the kitchen, she would have an enormous mess to clean up afterwards.

She immediately heard him drop the utensil he was using to stir the omelette he was making in the iron cast pan. Flinching, she suddenly regretted raising her voice at him. It wasn't his fault she was upset and she didn't want to start up the previous argument they shared the week before.

Jack O'Neill bent down and picked up the spatular that he dropped on the floor, part of the omelette was also splattered on the hardwood surface. Upon placing it on the bench he gave her a frustrated stare.

"I WAS cooking dinner for crying out loud!" He raised his voice back to her.

She jumped at the sharp tone in his voice and she stood back and just kept looking at him. Jack noticed her body language and immediately relaxed his manner. God he didn't want to upset her. He knew what today meant for her and perhaps this was not a good time to instigate a war.

He began to walk over to her sullen form, He could see she was on the verge of tears. Her body shaking as she tried desperately not to break down in front of him. Even after years of battle together, she still looked up to him and cared deeply about his view of her as a strong, consummate woman.

As soon as he softly placed his hand to caress her cheek she crumbled. He was always so gentle and selfless when it came to her feelings. He would get sick to his stomach at the thought of ever upsetting her.

"This isn't about any omelette Sam" He gently whispered in her ear as he pulled her into a warm, comforting embrace.

She cried out louder, her tears spilling onto his woollen jumper as her body shuddered with uncontrollable sobs. He gently rubbed the small of her back to sooth her while she released all her pent up tension.

"I know its just that…. they" she couldn't continue as her crying quickly over whelmed her.

Jack pulled out of the hug, a beaming smile spread across his face. She looked up at him though her read swollen eyes. No matter how much she wanted to be angry at him, as soon as she saw that smile her world melted away. Sniffing and wiping away her tears she looked into his deep dark brown eyes. He was still so very handsome and when he was cheering her up he was so adorable. Hot even.

"Sam, I know" Was all he said as he placed a kiss upon her lips.

Jack was just as nervous as his wife and it wasn't anything to do with burning eggs mixed with beer. It had nothing to do with nearly every bowl in the kitchen being used and dirtied or their dinner now lying on the floor. It was about their children.

He took her hand in his and gently guided her to the dining room table, pulling out a chair for her to sit down.

It seemed like hours before she finally spoke again. Needing time to sort out her emotions as it was easy these days to get riled up over such little things.

"I didn't think it would be so hard" she whispered into the air.

Of all the things she prepared for in her life, never would she imagine her children growing up and leaving her. When they were young she knew they would grow up and develop lives of their own, but its hard to imagine this fact after you clothe them, feed them and love them day in and day out for nineteen years.

They were still her precious babies in her eyes and after it took eight years of fighting the very career she loved in order to have them, she wasn't going to let them just walk away.

Jack just looked at her with adoring eyes, slowly letting out a breath as he went back into the kitchen.

"Sam we discussed this. You _know_ I didn't like it either, given what we went through, what we know, but it's what they want. We need to be strong for them, because god knows it's a hell of a tough road they've got ahead of em". He explained while he grabbed the mop out of the kitchen pantry.

"Come on, lets have some dinner and we can talk about ringing the barracks in the morning." He smiled back at her as he began mopping up their spoiled dinner.

Sam got off the chair and pushed it back under the table. As she made her way to the lounge room, she was just about to sit down when she heard a loud thud, followed by a rather strained cuss word.

Turning around she quickly ran back into the room and saw him lying straight on his back, his face bright read and scrunched up in embarrassment.

She couldn't help it, she burst out laughing at the sight, this only made Jack relax further into the gooey mess on the floor.

"It's not funny Sam, It hurt and at my age I could have broken one of the last few undamaged bones I have left" He gasped and began to chuckle.

She bent down to give him a hand up as he leant on the bench for more support. Still laughing and smiling brightly.

"No giggling Sa..man...tha" He rolled of his tongue.

TBC

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.


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